Re: Elective C-Section??

We are not pregnant yet and we are trying for #1.

I found this thread very informative. I think there are upsides and downsides to both.

Personally, at my pre-natal consult, I was told that due to the fact that I have severe rheumatoid arthritis and herniated L4-L5 and L5-S1 discs, I would have to deliver C under general. I have no disc in L4-L5, so I cannot get an epi according to the Dr., but they wouldn't let me go through labor and a natural delivery due to the stress that it would put on my joints, which are already weak from my disease. My OB feels it is too risky for both me and my future child. I have mixed feelings-natural scares me (labor and all), but so does surgery-but I am kind of glad that I am really not given a choice here.

When it is my time, a healthy is all I want. I totally agree just from having a chronic illness that you are your own best advocate and researching everything and speaking up when you have questions and concerns is really the best thing you can do.

Re: Elective C-Section??

Message edited 2/6/2009 9:05:03 AM.

Re: Elective C-Section??

Re: Elective C-Section??

I just want to point out that you DO NOT get a tummy tuck during a c-section. No plastic surgeon will do that, and no obgyn would approve that. The only thing that they can do on occassion is remove some access skin. Those two surgeries do not go hand in hand at all. Your body is highly stressed from the c section and a tummy tuck- a full tummy tuck would be highly unsafe not to mention really ugly because everything is stretched out.

You can simply google around for all the interviews plastic surgeons did regarding the fact that they do not perform tummy tucks with c sections.

Also I think a lot of people under estimate or under state how horrible and traumatic a vaginal birth can be, and it can have just as many awful complications. I think that in the end of the day one would have to have both a c section and a vaginal birth to truly say which was worse for them as an individual. Everyone will have a highly different experience. Also an emergency c section is not nearly the same thing as an elective or planned one imo.

I had a vaginal birth, and i would rather get an abortion than do that again- that is actually how serious i feel about it and how bad my vaginal birth was for me. I would rather NEVER be pregnant again and never have any more children.

Re: Elective C-Section??

My primary care physician had an elective c-section.... I think a lot more docs are doing them now... and I thought it interesting that she was an MD and had one too.

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My doctor is giving me the choice to do it either way, but I think it is because I am having twins. Also, I lose the choice if a c-section becomes medically necessary of course.

Assuming nothing happens where I lose my choice, I am still not sure which way I will go. If both twins are in the heads down position and I haven't had any complications, I might try the v-birth. However, the thing that scares me is having one twin by v-birth and then needing a c-section for the other for some emergency reason. If there's a chance of that happening, I might just rather have the c-section for both if I'm going to need the operation anyway.

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Both of my twins are breech and have been for a long time now. I'm having a scheduled c-section on March 12th. Had they not been breech, I would have them vaginally (with a definite epidural!!).

Re: Elective C-Section??

All births, just like all pregnancies, are different.

having a vaginal birth doesn't guarantee you a pain-free recovery. just like having a c-section doesn't guarantee you a million complications. you really never know what you're going to get with EITHER mode of delivery.

having been through medical school, I've participated in my share of vaginal births as well as c-sections. after that experience, c-sections scare the bejesus out of me. just the thought of having the surgery makes me more anxious than a vaginal birth ever could. but that's me - you might very well feel differently.

i'm not sure that your OB will perform a c-section based on your history of anxiety/panic. however, it can't hurt to discuss your concerns with him/her. if an elective c-section isn't an option, there may be different ways to manage your anxiety symptoms during the labor and delivery process. good luck

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I thought I would end up or need a c-section for a couple of reasons. First, my baby was breech, then she turned around so that reason did not exist.

I went into labor fully prepared to accept a c-section if necessary. My gut told me that I would not dilate because I have cervical stenosis and had to get PG via IUI in the first place. Both my RE and my OB told me that the "human body does amazing things" and I was NOT destined for a c-section. My OB, morally, would not suggest a scheduled c-section because there was SOME chance I COULD dilate. He would have let me schedule one if I really wanted it.

My bottom line? The human body of mine was not as amazing as my OB and RE said it could be and I should have listened to my gut. I ended up with an emergency c-section. The baby was in distress because I was not dilating fast enough. Contractions were coming EXTREMELY fast and I never got past 1.5 cm. It was a frightening experience. Next time, it will be scheduled. I did not dilate before, I won't again and frankly I don't give a crap what ANYONE says. I have already had elective abdominal surgeries and handled them fine. Im a tough broad.

Re: Elective C-Section??

me! I chose to have a c section. the sono's were saying the baby would be about 8 pds , and I am a small person. I felt in my heart I would not be able to push an 8 pounder. I voiced my concerns to my OB (2 of them), and they were fine with it. well, DS was born at 5 pds15 oz the sono was way off! I'm happy I went with the C section. I did experience labor and got to 7 CMS before I had my spinal, labor ws not as bad as I thought it would be. but My baby was born so fast, that was the best way to go for me


ETA I was petrified of vaginal delivery, so much that I could not sleep at night worried about the after affects of child birth. It did take me a while to recover from teh C section but it was worth it to me. My docs went through all of the potential complicatiosn of both V birth and c section, and the V birth comps sounded much scarier to me

Message edited 2/7/2009 11:51:49 PM.

Re: Elective C-Section??

there are some doctors who's standard proceedure is to schedule a C-section around the due date(without the mother having a medical reason of needing one)..i have heard of people who it happened to..

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I had no intentions of having a c-section and for a great part of my pregnancy, the drs. and I were scared that i would go preterm. Well, one day over 40 weeks I went into labor and my DD would not budge!

If you are afraid of the vaginal delivery, you should most definitely fear the c-section. It was awful. My DH watched the entire thing and was traumatized. He told me that they basically sliced me open like a jack-o-lantern and pulled the baby out. He saw them cutting though layers of skin, fat, muscle. I couldn't move for a few days and am still recovering to some degree. Meanwhile, my roommate walked into our room after giving birth vaginally. I was so jealous of her!

On another note, some people say that a c-section belly can never get fully flat again. Don't know if this is true or not.

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I had an emergency c-section with my twins due to preeclampsia-the surgery was a piece of cake for me. The next day the pain was nearly unbearable when I tried to get out of bed and I would say severe pain followed for the next two days(I want to say that I am not a whimp and am usually pretty brave with pain) I walked a lot since my babies were in the NICU and that helped. I still wish I had a vag delivery in some ways but am just happy that my babies are here and they are healthy. I would not choose a section if given the option. Rememebr women have been giving birth for thousands of years(even before pain meds) in caves, fields at homne etc.

Re: Elective C-Section??

Posted by Diana1215

Posted by neenie

Posted by SecretlyPlanning4Baby
I just think you know, some women have it in their head that the labor pains and contractions they can avoid at least THAT part of the pain if they plan ahead for a C-section.

C-sections aren't that cut and dry (excuse the pun) and i think part of the problem (and reason it can get heated) is that some people really just don't get that. It's major abdominal surgery. Abdominal surgery is the HIGHEST risk of all surgeries. Blood clots, pulmonary emboli, hemmorhage, etc are all very common- more than most are aware of. Also, you may think that you can avoid "that part of the pain", but you have no idea what you're in store for during recovery. My SIL's incision never closed correctly, she almost became septic, they had to reopen her, have a nurse come to her house to repack the wound everyday for over 3 weeks and it took months after that before it completely healed correctly.

I think it's great that c-sections exist for emergency (and certain other) situations, but it's so hard for me to comprehend some people's casual views of it.

Neenie - you just freaked me out reading this and I already had a c-section. How friggin scary!!! And, I'm trying for #2 now and will have to do that all over again

Re: Elective C-Section??

I posted a somewhat similar posting and got flamed for even considering an elective c-section. For whatever reason, I thought elective c-sections were common but definitely not.

Re: Elective C-Section??

Message edited 2/8/2009 10:51:55 AM.